Budgeting and Financial Planning in Uncertain Times NC Center for Nonprofits Embracing Uncertainty Conference

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1 Two Perspectives Mechanics of budgeting and planning Preparing for and responding to funding crises The Budget Process Document the budget Shows spending priorities and revenue expectations Identifies resource shortfalls or surpluses Provides action plan to achieving strategic goals Facilitates adjustments throughout year Provides tool for measuring outcomes Collaborate on the budget The budget should be coordinated by the key financial manager, with significant input from board and other staff: Executive Director Key Fundraiser Program Managers Outside CPA Roles in the process (not in slideshow) Board s role in budget process Participates actively in creating development plan Determines programmatic priorities Establishes policies Use of accumulated fund balances Level of detail for official budget Approves new initiatives Activities Staff positions Capital projects Reviews and approves official budget CEO/Executive director s role in budget process Obtains staff input on potential new initiatives page 1

2 Coordinates board-level planning and communicates priorities to program managers and key financial manager Works closely with development committee and key fundraiser on development plan Approves and monitors budget action plan Coordinates staff efforts Reviews budget and maintains working knowledge of general themes Program managers role in budget process Works with executive director to identify any new initiatives for proposal to the board Identifies types of direct expenses for program Works with key financial manager to Identify types of indirect expenses Develop cost estimates for direct expenses Maintains a working knowledge of budget variances throughout the year Key financial manager s role in budget process (* = steps that might involve CPA) Creates and manages budget action plan* Designs formats for worksheets* Assists executive director and key fundraiser in estimating realization probabilities for development initiatives* Assists program managers in forecasting revenues and expenses* Works with outside CPA on indirect cost allocations Reviews forecasts by program managers, and develops forecasts for overhead activities* Prepares consolidated budget* Monitors actual performance against budget CPA s role in budget process Assists in indirect cost allocations Assists in other areas as needed: Creating budget action plan Designing spreadsheet templates Working with fundraising staff and volunteers to estimate realization probabilities Budget action plan Steps in process Person responsible for ensuring performance of each step Deadline for each step (See sample budget action plan) page 2

3 Break down budget into logical components Month or quarter Determine minimum acceptable interval Class Design accounting system carefully Budget scenarios Plan A and Plans B-Z - or - Proposed budget and alternative scenarios (See sample scenario calculations) Addressing an unexpected funding cut Never let a good crisis go to waste. - Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago Planning Ahead = Our Job What funding is time-limited? What funding may become available? Unrestricted funding to fill the gaps How s that annual campaign? Maintaining the three-month reserve just in case Growing the endowment Funding Disappearing: a crisis is a terrible thing to waste Challenges usually provide opportunities can we replace federal grant funds with local funds? can we use the budget shortfall to eliminate an ineffective program? can we build back a new, more effective program that attracts consistent funding? Evaluate Program effectiveness Personnel effectiveness Which programs sell best Which programs are not financially sustainable What is expendable under various contingencies? (A confidential process with CFO & leadership) page 3

4 How To Replace Funding More from every type of source because we don t want to disadvantaged children to suffer Use the urgency to build the annual campaign Replace federal and state funding with more reliable local dollars Market the most compelling case to be made, ideally a basic need Magic Tricks Leverage various possible funding sources against each other Challenge gifts early and often in sequence Reducing Staff When cash flow calls for severe cost-cutting Get legal advice first It s a Board decision Take care with the messages to staff Make public message fit fundraising efforts Don t overlook survivor s guilt Woes of a Legal Aid Program Numerous funding cuts across 35 years Results Repeated Cuts Yield: an Adaptable Staff 8 Programs a Budget 4x Larger 15,000+ people served annually Solutions: Use normal attrition to buy time Special campaign for three-year pledges Increased county funding Recover federal funding Double down on community partnerships to obtain sub-grants [leverage + challenge gifts = success] Attitude is Key: We thought we could page 4

5 (Instead of thinking we could not) Outcome: The Mountain Violence Prevention Program is considerably larger than ever, with more local support and more federal grant dollars Now prepared for a $100,000 annual cut in VAWA funds but hoping for the best (Future cuts are more than likely) Capturing Costs by Category Cost categories Activities all categories included in final budget Overhead activities supporting functions Management & General (aka Business Management) Fundraising Program activities - functions directly related to mission (including program management) Direct vs. indirect costs Direct costs are expenses that are entirely related to one specific activity Indirect costs are expenses that are shared among several activities Overhead indirect Overhead is costs to manage the organization unrelated to its mission; supporting costs Overhead includes direct overhead costs + a portion of indirect costs Assignment vs. allocation of costs Costs can be distributed one of two ways: Directly assigned to activities - or - Indirectly allocated to activities based on reasonable estimation methods Sample allocation methods Type of Natural Expense Accounting & processing Occupancy (rent, utilities) Staff training & development Office supplies Cost Driver # transactions processed Square footage # staff members # FTEs (full-time equivalencies) page 5

6 Switchboard Postage # calls # pieces mailed Approach to budget spreadsheets Consider what information is needed: Master budgets What level of detail does board expect in official (board-approved) budgets? Internal budgets What information is needed to create master budgets? What information is needed for internal analysis? Sample spreadsheet approach (See illustration of sample spreadsheet approach) Master budget PDFs for board Consolidated budget consolidation of work in other files to create master budget PDFs Indirect costs allocation of shared costs to each class Budgets summary file interim analysis showing revenues and expenses by class; finalize pre-consolidation Personnel budget the only file with sensitive data Shared costs calculation of shared costs to be allocated Base budgets calculations of revenues and direct costs for each class GL detail + budget history historical data for budget managers to review as part of preparing base budgets Key Goals for Financial Stability Diversify funding so that no source provides more than 10% of the budget Seek more funding than needed so you will receive enough Spread management, fundraising, and non-personnel costs over several programs Prioritize building the most reliable funding sources and invest in fundraising staff accordingly Develop staff versatility and adaptability All staff involved in fundraising from hiring onward Grow an endowment if possible Maintain three months reserve Maintain positive attitude; don t say what can t be done until you have really tried Make the track record of results; then make the case to continue or expand those results page 6

7 Develop and rely upon the core competencies of the organization no matter what Monitor cash flow monthly and budget ahead to fundraise in time to meet budget Follow-up questions? Feel free to contact us! page 7

8 Nonprofit X FY19 Budget Action Plan As of 9/14/17 = fixed date/number Task # Task Description Deadline Responsible Party 1 Determine what classes will need budgets Friday, December 22, 2017 Board of Directors 2 Determine any changes needed to accounting system structure. Friday, December 22, 2017 Ed & Mig 3 Prepare base budget templates and send to Ed to review. Friday, December 29, 2017 Mig 4 Review templates. Note any questions/comments. Send back to Mig. Friday, January 05, 2018 Ed Finalize template from follow up notes/questions from Ed, and send to Ed to 5 distribute to budget managers to complete. Tuesday, January 09, 2018 Mig Following written instructions, spend 2-3 hours on each base budget to draft 6 calculations and identify questions. (call Mig if stuck.) Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Budget Managers 7 Lead workshop to help with calculations and discuss process. Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Mig/Budget Managers 8 Prepare accounting fees budget. Saturday, January 27, 2018 Mig 9 Prepare template for planned salaries. Saturday, January 27, 2018 Mig 10 Complete schedule of planned salaries by position. Wednesday, January 31, 2018 Ed 11 Prepare template for time allocations. Sunday, February 04, 2018 Mig 12 Prepare planned time allocation by position. Sunday, February 11, 2018 Ed 13 Complete Draft 1 base budget worksheets and send to Ed for review. Sunday, February 25, 2018 Budget Managers Review base budgets. Work through questions/comments with budget 14 managers as needed. Sunday, March 04, 2018 Ed Budget managers address notes from Ed. Update base budgets as needed. 15 Send Draft 2 base budgets to Ed when completed by due date. Monday, March 12, 2018 Budget Managers Send completed and reviewed Draft 2 budgets for each activity to Mig to 16 review and allocate/consolidate. Sunday, March 18, 2018 Ed 17 Prepare depreciation budget. Sunday, March 18, 2018 Mig 18 Prepare base budgets summary. Thursday, March 22, 2018 Mig Review Draft 2 base budgets and meet with Ed/budget managers to revise as needed. Revision = Draft 3 = source for budget to present to Fin Cmtee Saturday, March 31, 2018 Mig Allocate shared costs and consolidate Draft 3 budgets by activity into master budget and send to Ed. Friday, April 06, 2018 Mig 21 Review master budget. Sunday, April 08, 2018 Ed 22 Send draft master budget to Finance Committee Monday, April 09, 2018 Ed Finance Committee 23 Review master budget in detail before Finance Committee meeting Monday, April 16, 2018 Members 24 Present draft master budget at Finance Committee meeting Monday, April 16, 2018 Ed/Mig 25 Revise budgets as directed by Finance Committee, if needed (Draft 4) Saturday, April 21, 2018 Mig 26 Review final master budgets Tuesday, May 01, 2018 Ed 27 Send master budget to Board of Directors Wednesday, May 02, 2018 Ed 28 Present draft master budget to board Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Ed/Mig 29 Revise budgets as directed by board, if needed (Draft 5) Saturday, May 19, 2018 Mig 30 Distribute copies of final budgets to board and budget managers Sunday, May 20, 2018 Ed 31 Monitor actual performance on budgets throughout year ongoing Ed 32 Report to board periodically on budget status as required by policy quarterly Ed 33 Work with budget managers to update budgets as needed ongoing Ed/Mig page 8

9 Nonprofit X FY19 Budget Alternative Budget Scenarios Class Program A Program B Program C FND UBM OTQ ITQ Total Comments on scenarios Proposed FY19 Budget: Revenue 500, , , , ,020,000 Direct Costs 275, , ,000 31, , , ,000 2,113,000 Net Income 225,000 15,000 (25,000) (31,000) 523,000 (115,000) (685,000) (93,000) Positive/(negative) effect of alternative budget scenarios: Scenario 1: scale back Program Associate position (20,000) 31,200 11,200 Scenario 2: replace Development Manager with consultant (40,000) (70,000) 66,200 (43,800) This replaces the FT Program Associate with a 20-hr Program Coordinator at $35k with no benefits. Would likely lose the benefits of current employee's institutional knowledge. Would not be able to pursue planned ABC activity and would reduce Program A revenues This will likely limit some fundraising activites, delay donor cultivation and lower anticipated revenue. May be some disagreement on amount of revenue that would be lost. Scenario 3: eliminate salary increases 10,400 10,400 Scenario 4: reduce mid-year board meeting to 1 day 2,200 2,200 Scenario 5: hold virtual Finance Committee meeting (instead of planned live meeting) 1,700 1,700 Without this scenario, budget reflects 2% across-the-board increase for non-executive personnel Would compress time for action items to the evening before a fullday session the next day. Could compromise the Board's ability to make decisions as a group. Could compromise the Finance Committee's ability to make decisions as a group. Scenario 6: increase registration fee for fall conference by $100 80,000 80,000 Registration would still be commensurate with similar conferences. Board has been reluctant to increase registration amount in past. Scenario 7: eliminate Program B (15,000) 11,000 48,000 44,000 Would save funds but would significantly hamper ability to achieve mission. 100% of program revenue is from NC Dept of X. page 9

10 Nonprofit X FY19 Budget Worksheets Outline Files are listed in order of summarization - summaries at top, details at bottom Sheets within files will include summary data at front, details further back PDFs for presentation (master budget) Consolidated Budget by Account; comparison to FY18 budget Consolidated Budget by Class; comparison to FY18 budget Consolidated Budget by Class and Line Summary Sheet for each Class - Summarized version of line item budget Consolidated Budget File Consolidated Budget by Account; comparison to FY18 budget Consolidated Budget by Class; comparison to FY18 budget Consolidated Budget by Class and Line Consolidated Budget by Account and Month Program A Totals Sheet Program B Totals Sheet Program C Totals Sheet Unrestricted Revenue/Business Management Expenses (UBM) Totals Sheet Fundraising (FND) Totals Sheet copy of IDC Summary Sheet copy of Program A Base Budget Summary Sheet copy of Program B Base Budget Summary Sheet copy of Program C Base Budget Summary Sheet copy of UBM Base Budget Summary Sheet copy of FND Base Budget Summary Sheet Indirect Costs File IDC Summary Sheet - row for each expense acct (including personnel accts); set of columns for each class by qtr allocation of non-personnel (OTQ) shared costs - row for ea expense acct; set of columns for each class by mo copy of Allocation Rates (from ITQ file) copy of OTQ Summary Sheet copy of Personnel (ITQ) Summary Sheet (no sensitive data here) Budgets Summary File prepared once below files are available. Show revenue, expenses, cost allocations by class, so Ed can see what surplus/deficit will be by class Personnel Budget File Personnel Summary Sheet - summary of total costs by GL acct by quarter by class Allocation Rates Summary - summary of OTQ and ITY rates Summary by Position and Class - row for each position, columns allocating costs by GL acct by quarter supporting sheets to calculate total costs by month for each GL acct (benefits, taxes) for each position Shared Costs Workbook for non-personnel Shared Costs (OTQ) Instruction Sheet - similar to Base Budget Workbook, but modified to reflect that these are shared costs that will be allocated [name of activity] Shared Costs Summary Sheet - row for each account; column for each month - no raw numbers in this sheet (all cells linked to supporting sheets) as many supporting sheets as needed page 10

11 Base Budget Workbook for each activity Instruction Sheet - instructions for budget managers to document calculations [name of activity] Totals Sheet - row for each account; column for each month - no raw numbers in this sheet (all cells linked to supporting sheets) as many supporting sheets as needed for calculations in staff-designed format GL + Budget History files Budget and actual amounts for the last FY GL detail for last 4 quarters, with cost allocations manually deleted pivot table of GL acct totals by source name by month (one file for each base budget class) page 11